Festive cheer is here with plenty of winter and Christmas-themed events running for all ages.
And, with UAE schools on break, there are myriad ways to keep children active.
Here, The National rounds up seven things to do around the Emirates, from December 11 to 17.
Monday
Kick-start the children's winter break with a trip to Snow Abu Dhabi, which has launched family-friendly festive packages this month.
The basic package (Dh150) includes a meet-and-greet with Santa for ages two and above, which also comes with a printed photo, surprise gift, hot chocolate and fleece gloves.
An additional Dh150 means you can eat breakfast with Santa at The Lodge restaurant inside the park, and indulge in treats such as snowman pancakes and hot chocolate.
Those with older children can opt for an offer inclusive of a ticket to the snow park (Dh295), which has several enchanted forest-themed rides attractions such as Crystal Carousel, Polar Express Train and Snowflake Garden.
Daily, from 8am; until December 25; from Dh150; Reem Mall; skidxb.com
Tuesday
Book a table at TakaHisa, which is part of Dubai's latest five-star hotel Banyan Tree, on Bluewaters Island.
Chef Izumi Kimura, of Michelin-starred Tokyo restaurant Sushi Jan, is in town and will serve an omakase (chef's choice) menu featuring seasonal ingredients such as red vinegar and Edo-style sushi.
Kimura will be joined by TakaHisa's chef duo Takashi Namekata and Hisao Ueda in preparing the dishes.
Tuesday to Thursday, seating options at 3pm, 6pm and 9pm; until Thursday; Dh3,000 per person; Banyan Tree Dubai, Bluewaters Island; 050 469 8888
Wednesday
The annual Winter Garden pop-up at Habtoor Palace Dubai is running. The hotel's grounds have been transformed into a festive night market, complete with food trucks, retail kiosks and live entertainment to set the mood.
Food pop-ups include Hangry Joe's, Midyeci Ahmet Restaurant & Cafe, Freez and Mamarama. The venue is covered in Christmas decorations and there are daily visits from Santa. There are also bouncy castles as well as other family-friendly activities.
Daily, 4pm-midnight; until January 31; Dh25 per person; Al Habtoor City, Sheikh Zayed Road; alhabtoorcity.com
Thursday
Book a spot at the water-facing restaurants on Bluewaters Island – Shi, Miya, Virgin Izakaya, Alici or Gunaydin – for the best seats in the house to catch one of the annual Dubai Shopping Festival drone shows.
The display, the Middle East's longest-running show of its kind, involves a swarm of about 300 drones lighting up the night sky. This year, Emirati animator Mohammed Saeed Harib, creator and producer of the popular cartoon series Freej, will be part of the drone spectacle. They will run under the theme of Fairytale Fusion with Emirati Culture.
The shows have been a staple during the annual festival when malls and other destinations in the emirate run promotions. This year, it runs until January 14, as do the free daily drone shows.
Daily, 8pm and 10pm; until January 14; Bluewaters Island and JBR; visitdubai.com
Friday
Indian restaurant The Crossing is launching a supper club series called Culinary Crossroads, tapping local chefs to showcase their talent in collaboration with the restaurant's chef Jitin Joshi.
The first in the series takes place on Friday, launching with Ett Hem (Swedish for home) by The Curry Bureau, a supper club by photographer-turned-chef Vikram Gaw’de.
The food is inspired by the coastal regions of India, with a focus on Mumbai. Dishes include butterfy prawns with homemade coastal spices and red snapper in coconut milk curry.
Friday, from 7pm; Dh450 per person; The H Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road; 04 491 9695
Saturday
Catch the last show of the world-renowned Gandeys Great Circus of Europe in Al Ain on Saturday.
The high-adrenalin display at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium features acrobats, aerialists, contortionists and clowns that promise to leave audiences on the edge of their seats. The British circus production has been around for nearly a century, travelling to dozens of different cities around the world.
Saturday, shows at 2pm, 4.30pm and 7pm; from Dh75; Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain; al-ain.platinumlist.net
Sunday
Take the children to a cooking class at Sfumato, Dubai, on Sunday. Participants can make simple bites such as Ukranian varenikis (half-moon-shaped dumplings), as well as cookies and cupcakes under the guidance of a trained chef.
Only 10 spots are available, so bookings are encouraged. The cooking class is open to children aged three to 12.
Sundays, 11am-1pm; Dh75 per child; Opus Tower, Business Bay; 058 101 5649
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
NBA FINALS SO FAR
(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106
Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland
Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
Company%20Profile
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Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Andor
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
match info
Athletic Bilbao 1 (Muniain 37')
Atletico Madrid 1 (Costa 39')
Man of the match Iker Muniain (Athletic Bilbao)
Scoreline
Syria 1-1 Australia
Syria Al Somah 85'
Australia Kruse 40'
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
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ANATOMY%20OF%20A%20FALL
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Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Company%C2%A0profile
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The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
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BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Paatal Lok season two
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